On Mon, 8 May 2006, Michael Halcrow wrote:
So if your motherboard dies you have to reformat your hard disk? Am
I understanding this correctly?
Only if you have encrypted each and every file on your hard disk with
the same key, since eCryptfs works on a per-file basis. If your
hardware fails, you will lose any files for which you have not taken
steps to escrow the key (i.e., m/n-threshold sharing among your bank
safety deposit box, your office desk drawer, and a box buried in your
back yard). Most of the time, it is probably sufficient to print out
your key on a piece of paper and keep it in a locked drawer. It
depends on how paranoid you are.
Er, okay, but Andrew brings up a good point: a liability of encrypting files
for only a given machine is that the files are irrecoverable if the machine
gets corrupted. But maybe the benefits make that liability worthwhile; that's
what I'm trying to understand.
-J
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